An Overview of Design Thinking: Stages, Applications, and Benefits

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Added on 2024/07/01

AI Summary

This essay provides an overview of design thinking, an innovative method for solving complex problems in various contexts. It outlines the key stages of the design thinking process: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. The empathize stage focuses on gaining understanding through observation and consultation, while the define stage involves gathering information on the problem. The ideation stage is where designers develop new ideas, leading to a human-centered problem statement. Prototypes are then developed and shared within teams, utilizing elements from the design thinking toolkit to drive innovative solutions based on customer expectations. The final stage involves testing the product with multiple solutions. The essay also references several works that highlight the importance of design thinking in innovation and problem-solving.

Design Thinking
What is Design
Thinking?
Design thinking is a new
and innovative method for
solving complex problems
outside of professional
design practices like in
business and social
context.
Why it is so
popular?
Design thinking is a
process of systematic
thinking that develops
innovation solutions to a
problem. It offers a
solution based approach
which is widely adopted
by the organizations in the
competitive environment.
Empathize is the first stage used to gain
understanding of the problem through
observation, consultation.
The define stage is associated with
gathering ideas, information and
knowledge on the particular problem.
During the ideation stage, designers
starts developing new ideas and ended
with a human centred problem
statement.
The next stage is prototype where the
designers develop number of prototypes
and shared within the teams and
departments.
The last stage is testing where the final
product is tested using multiple solutions.
Stages of Design Thinking
• Jordan, S., & Lande, M. (2016). Additive innovation
in design thinking and making. International Journal of
Engineering Education, 32(3), 1438-1444.
• Kelly, R. (2016). Creative development: Transforming
education through design thinking, innovation, and
invention. Brush Education.
• Kolko, J. (2015). Design thinking comes of age.
• Hernández-Ramírez, R. (2018). Design thinking, bullshit,
and what thinking about design can do about it.
• Dalsgaard, P. (2014). Pragmatism and Design
Thinking. International Journal of design, 8(1).
The approach utilizes
elements from the design
thinking toolkit like
empathy and
experimentation to drive
innovative solutions that
makes easy to arrive at
future decisions on the
basis of the customer’s
expectations.